Wet Trout
Adventures and Road Trip Ramblings
Oct 19, 2024
A drink that's NOT a date.
Oct 18, 2024
Dating Alternative? AI Boyfriend!
Day 2: Facebook Dating
Oct 17, 2024
Day 1: Facebook Dating
Harper is not a Hallmark town
Apr 10, 2022
I found a house! A sale and a purchase...
Hey Readers! (Mom and Dad)
My Salem house, after MANY repairs and a new porch |
I haven't written in a spell because my plans took a ride in a BMW convertible on a sunny day with the top down. In other words, I found a house! And I moved! At the end of February I closed on a house in the middle of nowhere in Eastern Oregon. It's a tiny town I'll call "Paradise" just in case I ever get a stalker (again).
I "Zillow'd" the hell out of things looking for just the right place. Well, more like I put in my search parameters of in Oregon, under $350k, half an acre, and less than 50k people. I was hit with very few houses...and most were awful. I mean, so terrible that you'd have to actually install walls, flooring, sinks, etc.
I initially passed by this house in Paradise...because it was literally in the middle of no where. The idea of moving so far away from everyone and everything I know was just a little intimidating. And then, a few weeks later I went back and did my search again and the same house came up, but it was pending. Missed that boat. Oh well, that's what I get for stalling.
A few more weeks passed and I searched again...and the house in Paradise was back on the market. Apparently the potential buyer was a little older and her kids didn't want her out there alone. On a whim I called the realtor and after a few conversations, I made an offer. Sight unseen. They accepted the offer and I had 10 days to view it...which I passed on. I figured I'd get an inspection and frankly, I figured any house of that age would need some work, so I was prepared for whatever happened.
I called a realtor to put my house on the market and before that even happened, I had a full price offer from the neighbor's friends. SOLD! The stars aligned.
It didn't hit me until I was in the U-Haul on the way to my new house (and praying it looked like the photos) that my entire life was changing. The whole time I was busy packing and loading my belongings I didn't think about what I was leaving behind. Instead I was thinking about what I was moving toward. I started to realize I wouldn't do happy hour with my friends anymore, couldn't pop into the office to greet co-workers, and was going to have to actually plan for trips to town (since it's an hour away). But none of that really mattered because once I pulled into the driveway, I felt at home.
View from my front window in Paradise |
Friends ask if I have any regrets. The answer is a solid no. It hasn't been all smooth sailing (read the next post) but I wouldn't change it for the world.
Jan 9, 2022
Where To Go?
Now that I've convinced myself it's time to leave Salem, where do I go? The better question becomes, "What can I afford?" Luckily, my job has transformed due to COVID from allowing us to telework up to three times a week to allowing us to do it full time. That's fantastic news for us introverts. Work has also opened up their restrictions and now, we can telework from anywhere in the US...with permission. I don't know of anyone who has received permission, but that's mute. Doesn't matter. I don't really want to leave Oregon yet (though Texas has crossed my mind, along with Georgia, Arkansas, and the Carolinas).
Example of $250k houses I've seen |
Zillow wasn't my friend. In fact, there were very limited choices. But I still looked at them all. From ALL over Oregon. Then I branched out..and looked EVERYWHERE. Lots of beautiful places in Georgia for less than $350k, but I traveled through there one summer and it was way too hot for me...and once I found out how many snakes were there, I decided I'd leave Georgia to the Walking Dead. (For those of you who don't know, Walking Dead is filmed in Georgia.)
I'm still looking, but when I find something, you'll be the first to know!
A drink that's NOT a date.
So thinking about going out for a “drink.” But there will be rules. Cause life is about boundaries and consequences if those boundaries ...
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My first BMW: 2001 BMW G650GS Ever wonder what happened to that bike that got away? I once had a 1964 Sears Allstate (Vespa) scooter...
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This sweet little adorable chocolate lab is Trout. She's actually a nightmare in training. Well, I guess she's out of training a...
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I have impressive photography skills..No? No. Years ago I was looking for a pair of motorcycle pants that would be a universal pant:...